Category Archives: tequila

Jose Cuervo Cinge (Cinnamon Tequila)

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jose cuervo cinged carmel aple cocktail

Jose Cuervo Cinge is a new cinnamon-infused tequila that retails for about $18. As you may know, Cuervo is the top-selling tequila brand in the world, and since vodka and whiskey have embraced the flavored liquor trend, it’s no surprise to see tequila flavors, too.

Cinge is sweet and spicy, though mostly spicy, vaguely reminding me of a Fireball candy. Because Cuervo isn’t a 100% agave brand, the mugginess of tequila is eclipsed by the cinnamon burn, and your lips will be left sticky and sweet. Cinge has a unique flavor that makes for some fun cocktail recipes, and since tequila mixes well with apple, here’s a recipe for you to try:

Firey CingedĀ Apple (by Greg Mays)

  • 2 oz Jose Curevo Cinge
  • 2 oz apple juice
  • 1 oz caramel liqueur (I used Lovoka)
  • stir and serve on the rocks

Tequonic Cocktail

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tequonic cocktail

Tonic water isn’t just a handy mixer with gin (though that’s the most common). You can substitute any base liquor for gin and see how it works with tonic water. This cocktail is a fun variation on a margarita, as the tonic water takes the place of the sweet triple sec. Enjoy!

Tequonic

  • in an old fashioned glass filled with ice, add:
  • 2 oz tequila
  • juice and shell of 1/2 a lime
  • top with tonic water

Breaking Bad: The Cocktail

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breaking bad cocktail

I was talking with someone from out of town recently, and they asked if Breaking Bad has given Albuquerque a bad name, y’know, since it’s a TV show about drugs, drug dealers, and violence, and since it proudly mentions that Albuquerque is the place that all of this is happening.

I snickered in my response: Breaking Bad has actually brought a strange local pride to Albuquerque, not shame. There are spas that sell “Bathing Bad” bath salts and soaps. A local donut store has their own Breaking Bad donuts. Local confectioner The Candy Lady sells little baggies of blue rock candy, in fact, they’re the company that made the props for the TV show.

It’s about time that we (Albuquerque) came up with our own Breaking Bad Cocktail. This is a simple recipe provided that you can findĀ some candy “blue meth.”Ā While you prepare to make the drink, crush the candy with a big knife butt just like Tuco Salamanca. Then using lemon juice, rim an old fashioned glass with the crushed candy.

breaking bad cocktail

In Albuquerque, Tequila is the second-best selling spirit (just behind vodka), so we should certainly use tequila as the base. Here’s the recipe, which is a Tequila Sour with the addition of blue meth candy. That makes it break bad, right?

Breaking Bad Cocktail (by Greg Mays)

  • fill a “blue meth” rimmed old fashioned glass with ice
  • in a shaker add:
  • 2 oz tequila
  • 3/4 oz lemon juice
  • 1/4 oz simple syrup
  • shake with ice and strain into the old fashioned glass

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Don Julio Tequila

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don julio tequilas

Don Julio proudly proclaims itself the “original premium tequila.” Sold in unique but similar bottle shapes each with a wooden stopper, the standard line on Don Julios will run you between $45-60, depending on the age. The Blanco is fruity and beachy. The Reposado (which they claim is theĀ bestsellingĀ tequilaĀ in Mexico) is mellower, a touch spicy, and very smooth. The AƱejo is a little more bold from the extended time in the barrel. You could use the Blanco in a cocktail, but all of these are very tasty and smooth drunk straight.

These are excellent tequilas without a doubt – surely the best tequilas I’ve yet tasted. There’s a world of difference between these and a bargain-basement $20 tequila, even one that’s 100% agave.

don julio high end tequilas

Don Julio also has a premium line of tequilas – as if their standard line isn’t premium enough. 70 is anĀ aƱejo tequila that’s clear and has characteristics of a blanco. It’s crisp and herbal, a bit less like a tequila and more like a premium vodka in some ways. 70 will run you $68 a bottle.Ā 1942Ā is an older tequila, with a lot of tropical and whiskey-like characteristics. It smells like vanilla and coconut and is ultimately the spiciest of the bunch. 1942 is $125. Lastly, Don JulioĀ Real is a knockout. It’s smooth and quite savory (is that cheese and nuts I smell?). Real is drinkable, wonderfully flavorful, full, and complex. You may have heard: Real is $360 a bottle. The question to ask is are these worth their costs?Ā If I was in the market for a $360 tequila, I’d totally buy this one. I also liked theĀ 70 a lot, too. While 1942 is good, but I didn’t find it to be quite as amazing as the others in this range.

 

Casa Noble Tequila

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With spring just starting to warm up andĀ Cinco de Mayo on the horizon, that means it’s tequila season! I’m working hard to dig up more classic recipes with tequila because I’m pretty limited in what I can make,Ā whichĀ is usually Margaritas with the blancos, Old Fashioneds with the reposados or aƱejos, or drinking the good aƱejos neat in a snifter.

Casa Noble is a 100% agave tequila (the only kind you should buy) that’s $40 in a sexy, thick hand-blown glass bottle with an shiny pewter stopper. Backed by Carlos Santana, Casa Noble is available in the usualĀ varieties: unaged silver (which Casa Noble calls Crystal), “rested” resposado, and “old” aƱejo, as well as some high end premium single-barrel varieties.

If you taste it neat, Casa Noble Crystal begins with the initial, familiar blanco tequila smell – a little punchy, a little sour – but as you sip it, it’s very smooth with a fresh, grassy, roasted taste. It goes well in this classic tequila recipe:

Tequardo

  • 1 oz tequila
  • 1 oz rum
  • 1 oz orange juice
  • 1/4 oz triple sec
  • shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass
  • garnish with an orange twist

 

SilverCoin Tequila

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silver coin tequila with cocktail

SilverCoin is the first tequila available fromĀ Santa Fe Tequila Company. Made fromĀ 100% blue agave and sold in a hearty hand-blown bottle, this tequila is available in about 6 states right now. SilverCoin Silver (unaged) is a quality tequila with lots of flavor,Ā a very clean taste, and a fresh finish.

I have been a bit stuck lately with tequila. Using it for either MargaritasĀ or shots, I haven’t had much success making other tequila cocktails until I got a copy of the CafĆ© Royal Cocktail Book (Amazon link). I found a tequila and gin cocktail that has a surprisingly great flavor combination.Ā Here’s the recipe:

SeƱorita

  • 1 ozĀ tequila
  • 1 oz gin
  • 1 oz lemon juice
  • a dash of grenadine
  • shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass
  • garnish with a lemon wedge

Piedra Azul Tequila

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Piedra Azul Tequila

Piedra Azul is another quality entry into the 100% agave tequila market. It has the elements of a great tequila: a classic bottle, a beautiful label design, a wooden stopper, and an authentic tequila flavor.

Tequila is distilled and bottled in central Mexico from the blue agave plant that’s native to the region. 100% blue agave tequilas are often preferred to “mixto” tequilas, though they are more expensive, because their flavor is richer and more true to the agave they are distilled from. I have tasted tequilas with stand-out tropical, citrusy, muggy, swampy, spicy, or whiskey-like flavors. Piedra Azul (“blue stone”) has it’s own unique flavor that sets it apart as well – it’s earthy, herbal, and grassy, which makes it taste just a little bit like a pisco.

Outside of the traditional tequila shot with lime, here’s a simple cocktail recipe:

Brave Bull

  • 2 oz Piedra Azul blanco tequila
  • 1 oz coffee liqueur (such as Kahlua or Patron Cafe)
  • Serve in an old fashioned glass with lots of ice

Tequila AviĆ³n

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Tequila AviĆ³n

Tequila AviĆ³n gets much of its reputation as the “tequila from Entourage,” which was apparently a sweet unpaid buddy deal. As I’ve yet to see Entourage, I just know AviĆ³n based on this tasting. AviĆ³n is available in Silver, Reposado, and AƱejo varieties, with this AƱejo clocking in at 2 years old.

Tasted alone, all three of these tequilas are world-class. There is a soapy note particularly in the Silver and AƱejo varieties, as well as a bit of fruitiness in the Silver as well, and I’m sure it’s an outstanding mixer as a result. For a sipping tequila, the Reposado and AƱejo are both great, but are significantly different from each other. The Reposado has a spicy woodyness that puts it more in line with whiskeys, and the AƱejo is a smooth, mellow, subtler version of the the Silver.

avion autumn apple

AviĆ³n has a really good collection of recipes on their site, and I found one that looked the best for a Fall drink: The AviĆ³n Autumn Apple. I modified it just a bit for my own palate, so here’s my take on their recipe, which is high on the juice and pretty low on alcohol, so this would be a great party punch too:

  • 1 oz AviĆ³n Reposado
  • 2 oz apple juice or cider
  • 1 oz lemon juice
  • 1/2 oz simple syrup
  • serve over ice in a collins glass
  • garnish with an apple slice

Gran Centenario AƱejo Tequila

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Gran Centenario AƱejo Tequila

Proximo Spirits, responsible for importing Three Olives, Maestro Dobel, and Kraken Rum, imports Gran Centenario AƱejo tequila as well.

Tequila must be distilled in Mexico generally comes in these varieties:
Blanco: White/silver, unaged.
Resposado: “Rested,” aged 6 months.
AƱejo: aged more than 6 months, usually about a year.
Extra AƱejo: aged more than a year.

AƱejos are usually aged in American whiskey barrels, so they can take on some whiskey-like qualities. They are usually smoother than unaged tequilas, so they’re great for sipping straight. Gran Centenario surprised me with an apple flavor that’s joined by the whiskey barrel/woody taste. It retails for $20-30, and particularly if you like the traces of apple it has, this tequila is a good buy. Because Fall is in the air, if you’re not drinking Gran Centenario straight, add a shot to a pumpkin ale or try it in a T.A.P.:

T.A.P. (by Greg Mays)

  • 1 1/2 oz of Gran Centenario AƱejo Tequila
  • 2 oz of unfiltered apple cider
  • Stir and serve over ice in an old fashioned glass

JalapeƱo Bacon Margarita

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Tanteo JalapeƱo Bacon Margarita

Tanteo Tequila is a mid-range ($40-50) flavored tequila that comes in tropical, chocolate, or jalapeƱo-infused flavors. The jalapeƱo variety is a faint green and has a very natural taste, but can be a bit off-putting in the wrong drink. I found Tanteo JalapeƱo in a regular margarita to be interesting, but a bit too pungent because the jalapeƱo on your breath will likely stick around longer than the tequila in your blood.

I developed a drink based on an idea my wife had. She makes these killer bacon jalapeƱo poppers and said “why don’t you try to make a drink like that?” I created something that worked really well.

Tanteo JalapeƱo Bacon Margarita

The JalapeƱo Bacon Margarita (by Greg Mays)

  • 2 oz Tanteo JalapeƱo tequila
  • 1 oz lime juice
  • 1/2 oz triple sec
  • 1/2 oz Torani bacon syrup
  • serve in a salt-rimmed glass, up or on the rocks
  • lime wedge and/or jalapeƱo garnish

For the vegetarians out there, Torani Bacon is both vegan-safe and Kosher, so this may be one of the few meat-based cocktails that’s safe for all consciences. On a safety note, however, don’t get this in your eyes. As I was dropping ice in my shaker, I got a splash of the lime/jalapeƱo in my eye. Ouch.